The market is replete with trailer and hitching devices for coupling vehicles. However, the trailer and hitching devices currently available do not adjust a plurality of coupling elements, such as hitch balls, through a continuum of lateral positions. The above deficiency is especially egregious when considering bumpers equipped with trailer hitches having more than one hitch ball. Specifically, multiple stationary hitch balls necessitate that one or more hitch balls be off-center relative to the bumper of the towing vehicle. Thus, multiple stationary hitch balls may preclude positioning the tow point at the bumper center, resulting in weaving or swaying of the towed vehicle.
An off-center tow position, whether on multi or single hitch-ball systems, precipitates additional problems. For example, it increases tire-to-road surface scuffing caused by side pull. Further, portions of the towed vehicle may hazardously protrude across a highway center line or the trailer wheels may be shouldered on the side of the roadway. Moreover, the coupling process may be cumbersome if not dangerous.
In view of the above problems, an object of this invention is to provide a laterally adjustable trailer hitch system whereby a trailer tow point can be laterally adjusted through a continuum of lateral positions.
Another object of this invention is to provide a laterally adjustable hitch ball system having multiple hitch balls and a means for efficiently interchanging or substituting hitch balls.
A further object of this invention is to provide a laterally adjustable trailer hitch system for improving towing safety by reducing protrusion of the trailer over the roadway center line and roadway shouldering of the trailer wheels.
Another object of this invention is to provide a laterally adjustable trailer hitch system having a means of laterally positioning the hitch ball during the hook-up process so that the hitch ball coincides with the trailer-tongue hitch, thus avoiding the necessity of manually lifting and shifting the trailer tongue to a coupling position.
Another object of this invention is to provide a laterally adjustable trailer hitch system facilitating the safe and expedient alignment of towed vehicles with a parking pad as required in the parking of mobile homes, travel trailers, and the like.
Another object of this invention is to provide a laterally adjustable trailer hitch system facilitating the positioning, mating, and assembly of double-wide mobile-home component units.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a laterally adjustable trailer hitch system facilitating, by lateral adjustment of the hitch ball, a safe and expedient hook-up of the towing vehicle to the trailer when the angle of accessibility departs from the longitudinal axis of the towing vehicle.